Baldwin Picks Up First ‘Golden Gavel’ of 2013

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Friday that freshman Sen. Tammy Baldwin has won the first “golden gavel” of this Congress.

“We have not had a harder-working senator the past nine months than the presiding officer,” Reid said with the Wisconsin Democrat serving in the chair. “You’ve worked so hard, doing so many different things, not the least of which is presiding over the Senate.”

Reid said Baldwin would receive the gavel at a formal presentation during next Tuesday’s weekly caucus meeting. The coveted award comes after a senator presides over the chamber for 100 hours during a session of Congress.

“You’ve presided over the Senate early morning hours, late night hours and it’s remarkable, and I so appreciate your doing this. The entire Senate, Democrats and Republicans, express their appreciation through me to the presiding officer for the good work that you do in making this place work better.”

“The people of Wisconsin are so fortunate to have a distinguished presiding officer as a senator. I’ve had good fortune to serve with a number of other senators from Wisconsin. Russ Feingold was such a good friend. I miss him so very very much,” Reid said. “Herb Kohl — unique individual that added a great deal to the Senate in the many things that he did as a longtime member of the Appropriations Committee and the other things he did.”

Reid said none of her predecessors from Wisconsin with whom Reid has served “will outshine” Baldwin.

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About #WGDB

Niels Lesniewski has covered the Senate for CQ Roll Call since January 2010, and more recently as a staff writer and resident procedure guru for Roll Call. Niels holds degrees in both government and theater but sometimes can't tell the difference between the two. @nielslesniewski